Bern’s Hotel Schweizerhof Wins "Best Hotel Interior Europe"

London - The historic Hotel Schweizerhof in Bern, which has been re-planned and refurbished by MKV Design, has won Best Hotel Interior Europe and Best Hotel Interior Switzerland in the International Hotel Awards 2012.

The oldest grand hotel in Bern and deeply valued by local people since it opened 150 years ago, the Schweizerhof was once the hotel of choice for visiting celebrities and state occasions. Having fallen into decline and closed for several years, the new owners were challenged with how to reinvent the hotel within the constraints of the existing heritage façade in such a way as to meet the expectations of today’s well-seasoned business and leisure travelers.

The client’s brief called for the recreation of a hotel that was luxurious yet functional and which would therefore stand the test of time. This entailed extensive internal re-planning in order to achieve more and larger guestrooms as well as to introduce spaces that typify contemporary luxury hotels, such as a spa and cigar lounge.

It also involved significant re-planning of the entrance lobby areas to provide an immediate and welcoming retreat from the busy thoroughfare outside and the shops which flank the entrance on both sides.

Hotel Schweizerhof now stands apart from all other leading hotels in Bern with its clearly stated, individual personality. It has been reinvented for the future, within the spirit of its inheritance but not as a replica of the past.

By combining design influences from across Western Europe, the international culture of Switzerland is now celebrated and by combining the new with the historic MKV Design has created a hotel that is contemporary, not merely fashionable, which respects its architectural envelope while delighting guests with its 21st Century comforts. The story of Hotel Schweizerhof goes on.

The International Hotel Awards celebrate the highest levels of achievement by companies operating in the hotel sector across all regions and are a world-renowned mark of excellence.

MKV Design is a London-based interior design practice that specialises in the luxury international hotel and resort sector.

Working with owners, developers and leading global hotel groups, MKV creates outstanding and award-winning environments that distinguish its projects and ensure they serve the test of time.

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Consistently ranked among the world’s top ten cities for quality of life, Bern, the capital of Switzerland, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for its medieval Old Town, built in 1191 - and in springtime, few places are as beautiful.

The hotel’s interiors evoke the élan and striking presence of all the leading ladies that have graced the environs of the hotel and in this way rekindle the heart of its legacy as the home of its namesake, Spain’s revered Queen Consort Maria Cristina.

The elegant red brick building built in 1906 was revolutionary in its time because of the reinforced concrete building structure which provided large bright spaces and ideal working conditions for employees.